This invention relates to novel ester derivatives of prostaglandin A.sub.1 (hereinafter identified as "PGA.sub.1 ") and PGA.sub.2, and to processes for producing them.
PGA.sub.1 is represented by the formula ##STR2## A systematic name for PGA.sub.1 is 7-{2.beta.-[(3S)-3-hydroxy-trans-1-octenyl]-5-oxo-3-cyclopentene-1.alpha.- yl}-heptanoic acid. PGA.sub.1 is known to be useful for a variety of pharmacological and medical purposes, for example reduction and control of gastric secretion, and as a hypotensive agent to reduce blood pressure in mammals, including humans. See Bergstrom et al., Pharmacol. Rev. 20, 1 (1968) and references cited therein. As to racemic PGA.sub.1, see for example P. W. Ramwell, Nature 221, 1251 (1969).
PGA.sub.2 is represented by the formula: ##STR3## PGA.sub.2 is available, as is also racemic PGA.sub.2. See for example Bergstrom cited above, J. Martel et al., Tetr. Lett. 1491 (1972), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,965.
The above prostaglandin compounds are known to be useful for a variety of pharmacological and medical purposes, and the esters of this invention are useful for the same purposes.
Esters of the above compounds are known, wherein the hydrogen atom of the carboxyl group is replaced by a hydrocarbyl or substituted hydrocarbyl group. Among these are the methyl esters of PGA.sub.1 and PGA.sub.2 (J. P. Lee et al., Biochem. J. 105, 1251 (1967), the alkyl esters of one to 8 carbon atoms of PGA.sub.2 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,759,965), and the decyl ester of PGA.sub.2 (Belgian patent No. 765641, Derwent Farmdoc No. 67533S).